Chester Williams Says GSU Not Best Option to Curb Crime
Chester Williams
Earlier today, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams said that he is of the view that putting back the GSU in the streets to curb crime may not be the best option.
ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South
“While many are calling for the police to become tougher and go out and use brutal force against these young men, I remain calm because I do not believe that when you go to out a fire you take fire with you. You take water or you take foam. Not fire. So that concept where policing is about applying force to be able to deter people from committing crime, I do not believe in it. I once believed in it and we had done that for many years. Did it reduce the violence in Belize City or across the country? The answer is no. We must understand that times have changed. When you apply force to people the pain only lasts for a couple of minutes or a second and its gone. What happens after the pain goes away? The people go back and do the same thing or even worse. And we’ve found that in the past when police used to do that; what these young men do, they retaliate against the state. And they just begin to shoot anybody. Innocent people became victims of the circumstances. We must be very reasonable in how we engage these young men. After all, even though they may be deemed or classified as criminals, they are still human beings. And as human beings, we must always approach them in a humane manner and let them know ‘We are not going to support the lifestyle that they’re living. We’re not going to allow you to hold the people of Belize City Hostage’. And when we engage them in such a way, being violent, then we are no better than them. We’re just like them. We must lead by example.”
ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South
“What update do you want?”
Mike Rudon
“Sir to be straight. That fellow, the last report we got, he fired at you. He was apprehended that same evening and somehow from there to this point he is at the K.H.M.H. in what is critical condition up to a couple days ago. Could you take us from the apprehension to him being at the K.H.M.H.?”
CHESTER WILLIAMS
ACP Chester Williams
“I don’t know.”
ACP Dezerie Phillips, Regional Commander, Eastern Division North
“I’m not able to speak to that.”
Mike Rudon
“But I don’t understand; this person was in police custody.”
ACP Chester Williams
“I don’t know Mister Rudon, I don’t know.”
Mike Rudon
“Final answer.”
Voice of: Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood, PR, Eastern Division North
“That matter is at the court, Mister Rudon. If you understand clearly, he said that that person has not been arraigned as yet so then it would be prejudicial for him to comment on anything relating to that case because everything will have to come out in front of a magistrate.”
Mike Rudon
“But it is not before the court yet, so he could comment on it.”
Voice of: Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood
“No. That person has been charged, but not arraigned as yet. That is why he cannot comment.”
Reporter
“So why is the arraignment taking so long to happen?”
Voice of: Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood
“Well like you rightly mentioned, you know where the person is. You said he is at the hospital.”
Mike Rudon
“But ma’am is that not of concern to you? This is a person who was in police custody and ended up at the K.H.M.H. in critical condition. Nobody can speak to that?”
Voice of: ACP Edward Broaster, Regional Commander, Rural Eastern Division
“There’s only one person that can answer who gave you the answer – Chester Williams.”
Reporter
“I don’t know.”